Thursday, September 17, 2009

Iranian Opposition Vows To Turn Quds Day Green

The founder of the Islamic republic, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, designated the last Friday of Ramadan as a day for Iranians and Muslims to demonstrate solidarity with the Palestinian people and their cause.

But this year, Quds Day (Jerusalem Day) could instead reexpose the fissures that exist as a result of Iran’s severe political crisis.

Amid official warnings not to turn Quds Day into a protest against President Mahmud Ahmadinejad, whose reelection led to massive street protests that were met with a violent crackdown, three leading opposition figures say they will join the pro-Palestinian mass rally on September 18.

The leaders of the opposition movement, former presidential candidates Mir Hossein Musavi and Mehdi Karrubi, and former President Mohammad Khatami — who have said Ahmadinejad’s reelection was the result of massive fraud — have announced that they will take part in the demonstrations in Tehran.